Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo with Okra

SERVES 6 TO 8
Making a dark roux can be dangerous. The mixture reaches temperatures in excess of 400 degrees. Therefore, use a deep pot for cooking the roux and long-handled utensils for stirring it, being careful not to splash it on yourself. One secret to smooth gumbo is adding shrimp stock that is neither too hot nor too cold. For a stock that is at the right temperature when the roux is done, start preparing it before the vegetables and other ingredients. So that your constant stirring of the roux will not be interrupted, start the roux only after you've made the stock. Fresh okra may be used in place of frozen, though it tends to be more slippery, a quality that diminishes with increased cooking. Gumbo is traditionally served over rice.


INGREDIENTS
8 cups of prepared seafood soup base (Penzeys or homemade) Seafood Base
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (preferably bleached)
2 medium onions, chopped fine
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 medium rib celery, chopped fine
10 ounces frozen okra, thawed (if using fresh okra, trim the caps and slice the pods 1/4-inch thick)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
3/4 pound smoked sausage , such as andouille or kielbasa, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 pounds small shrimp (51 to 60 count), shelled and deveined.
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
4 medium scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
Ground black pepper


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare seafood stock with boiling water and concentrated base. Set aside to cool to tepid 100 to 110 degrees. If desired boil shrimp tails in 2 quarts of water, strain and then add Penzeys Base. 
2. Heat oil in Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed sauce-pan over medium-high heat until it registers 200 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in flour gradually with wooden spatula or spoon, working out any small lumps. Continue stirring constantly, reaching into corners of pan, until mixture has a toasty aroma and is deep reddish brown, about the color of an old copper penny or between the colors of milk chocolate and dark chocolate, about 20 minutes. (The roux will thin as it cooks; if it begins to smoke, remove from heat and stir constantly to cool slightly.)
3. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, okra, garlic, thyme, salt, and cayenne; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften, 8 to 10 minutes (or 10 to 15 minutes if using fresh okra). Add 1 quart reserved stock mixture in slow, steady stream, stirring vigorously. Stir in remaining quart stock mixture. Increase heat to high; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, skim off foam on surface, add bay leaves, and simmer uncovered, skimming foam as it rises to the surface, about 30 minutes.
4. Stir in sausage; continue simmering to blend flavors, about 30 minutes longer. Stir in shrimp; simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Off heat, stir in parsley and scallions, adjust seasonings to taste with salt, ground black pepper, and cayenne; serve.

Original Recipe

MAKING THE ROUX

• A long-handled, straight-edged wooden spatula is best for stirring the roux. Be sure to scrape the pan bottom and reach into the corners to help avoid burning. The cooking roux will have a distinctive toasty, nutty aroma. If it smells scorched or acrid, or if there are black flecks in the roux, it has burned.